When an occupied vehicle is involved in a collision, forces are transmitted through the materials of the vehicle to the occupants of the vehicle; another concomitant accident generally occurs, often referred to as the second collision, which subjects the occupants to impacts with the inside surfaces of the vehicle. For example, in some automobile collisions, it has been measured that 6 kilonewtons of force are imposed on the tibia of an occupant, resulting in compound fractures. As another example, in racing boats and on the seats of log skitters, damaging forces may be transmitted through the construct of the vehicle and to the anatomy of occupants. The present invention is designed to eliminate or mitigate traumatic injuries due to such impacts.